Leases - Other Lease Disclosures (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Lessee
Operating cash flows from operating leases	$ 761	$ 772
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities	1,227	6,983
Finance Leases
2020	14,949
2021	14,949
2022	14,949
2023	14,949
2024	14,949
Thereafter	55,532
Total lease payments	130,277
Less: imputed interest	(48,547)
Total finance lease liabilities	81,730		$ 81,730
Operating Leases
2020	800
2021	1,121
2022	930
2023	709
2024	235
Thereafter	1,085
Total lease payments	4,880
Less: imputed interest	(833)
Total operating lease liabilities	4,047		$ 3,545
Total
2020	15,749
2021	16,070
2022	15,879
2023	15,658
2024	15,184
Thereafter	56,617
Total lease payments	135,157
Less: imputed interest	(49,380)
Present value of lease liabilities	85,777
Lessor
Lease income	$ 1,548	$ 1,518

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from finance lease and operating lease.

No definition available.

Name:	opc_FinanceLeaseAndOperatingLeaseLiability
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease and operating lease.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_LesseeFinanceLeaseAndOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDue
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease and operating lease, due after fifth fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_LesseeFinanceLeaseAndOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueAfterYearFive
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease and operating lease, due in fifth fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_LesseeFinanceLeaseAndOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearFive
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease and operating lease, due in fourth fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_LesseeFinanceLeaseAndOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearFour
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease and operating lease, due in third fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_LesseeFinanceLeaseAndOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearThree
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease and operating lease, due in second fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_LesseeFinanceLeaseAndOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearTwo
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease and operating lease having an initial or remaining lease term in excess of one year due in remainder of fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_LesseeFinanceLeaseAndOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsRemainderOfFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments in excess of discounted obligation for lease payments for operating lease.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_LesseeFinanceLeaseAndOperatingLeaseLiabilityUndiscountedExcessAmount
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

n/a

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	opc_LesseeOperatingLeaseAndFinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentDueAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	opc_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseLiabilitiesPaymentsDueAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from finance lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888426&loc=SL77918701-209980

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918627-209977

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease, due after fifth fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueAfterYearFive
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease, due in fifth fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearFive
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease, due in fourth fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearFour
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease, due in third fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearThree
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease, due in second fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearTwo
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease, due in remainder of fiscal year following latest fiscal year ended.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888426&loc=SL77918701-209980

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseLiabilityPaymentsRemainderOfFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments in excess of discounted obligation for lease payments for finance lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinanceLeaseLiabilityUndiscountedExcessAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for operating lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for operating lease, due after fifth fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueAfterYearFive
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for operating lease, due in fifth fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearFive
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for operating lease, due in fourth fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearFour
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for operating lease, due in third fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearThree
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for operating lease, due in second fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsDueYearTwo
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments for operating lease having an initial or remaining lease term in excess of one year due in remainder of fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityPaymentsRemainderOfFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lessee's undiscounted obligation for lease payments in excess of discounted obligation for lease payments for operating lease.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseLiabilityUndiscountedExcessAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LessorDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of operating lease income from lease payments and variable lease payments paid and payable to lessor. Includes, but is not limited to, variable lease payments not included in measurement of lease receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888428&loc=SL77919372-209981

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888421&loc=SL77919311-209978

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 270
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109225645&loc=SL77927221-108306

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeaseLeaseIncome
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeaseLiabilitiesPaymentsDueAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Present value of lessee's discounted obligation for lease payments from operating lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918627-209977

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeaseLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of cash outflow from operating lease, excluding payments to bring another asset to condition and location necessary for its intended use.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918643-209977

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (g)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888426&loc=SL77918686-209980

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeasePayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in right-of-use asset obtained in exchange for operating lease liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 53
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888399&loc=SL77918982-209971

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (g)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888426&loc=SL77918686-209980

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RightOfUseAssetObtainedInExchangeForOperatingLeaseLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration